1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power tools and, more particularly, to a system adapted to reposition a protective hood of a power tool and method of manufacturing the same.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,578 to Dobbertin discloses a power driven cutter tool with a safety shield. The tool has a knob on a clamp to adjust the shield. U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,856 to Zerrer discloses an adjustable protective hood with an arresting device comprising a handle and having an arresting element with a clamping surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,940 to DeWitt discloses a tool with an adjustable guard. A knob is used to friction hold the guard in place. U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,241 to Moores, Jr. discloses a spindle lock with a spring biased pin. U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,909 Laube et al. discloses a spring biased pin used to lock a guard in position. Olympyk Corporation sells cut-off saws with a detent plate spot welded to its wheel guard. A pivotally mounted panel on an arm is used to lock and unlock the hood and arm.
A problem exists in the prior art in that prior art mechanisms for respositionally mounting a guard or hood have a relatively large number of parts or, the parts are relatively large and thus heavy. This increases the weight and size of the tool. For a tool such as a hand carried demolition saw, a heavy tool exhausts a worker more rapidly than a lighter tool.
Another problem exists in the prior art in that clamp or friction type fixing systems, although allowing repositioning of a guard or hood, do not provide a good assured fixation at all times and, are susceptible to wear and fatigue over prolonged use and time.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a new and improved system for repositioning a protective hood of a power tool and a method of manufacturing the same.